It's been awhile, the last full fledged agave report was filed on February 4th, with a quick addendum on May 5th. Since things were about to take a turn (weather-wise: cold, possibly snow but in reality "just" freezing rain) I thought it a good time to record how the gang is doing, photos taken on November 5th. I'll admit this report is mainly for my own knowledge, to serve as a record of how the in-ground agaves do here in my garden over time. I hope those of you trying to grow agaves in less than idea circumstances might find some inspiration.
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We start just outside the front door with a pair of Agave ovatifolia, both 'Frosty Blue' if I remember right...
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Both planted the summer of 2013. And you'l notice I didn't take the time to remove the fallen autumn leaves and other debris before photographing...
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Now I've walked around to the driveway, the southeast corner of the front garden. A pair of Agave americana, both in the ground since 2011. I thought they were gonners after last winter but thankfully not. This is where those of you from the Southwest are shaking your head, those are A. americana? Yes, yes they are.
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A pair of A. bracteosa, these poor plants are too shaded by the styrax in the hellstrip as well as the yucca to their left. Still they soldier on (planted in 2011).
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A. parryi 'JC Raulston' (2011)...
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With a couple of pups.
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I really should have removed these before winter set in.
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Oh look, another A. parryi 'JC Raulston'...
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And another pup.
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Yes another 'JC Raulston', or actually two. These went in last spring, I thought I'd be suffering much worse agave losses from last winter and bought replacement plants. Then whadda ya know, most of the others pulled through and I had to find a place for this double...
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I doubt I need to tell you what this is? These are very reliable agaves in my garden, thus I've bought a few.
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And now for something different. Diagonally starting in the lower left corner we have an agave of unknown ID (a pup from one of the monsters in this garden) planted out last spring, an Agave ovatifolia (went in as a tiny pup in 2011) and another A. americana (this one's been in the ground since 2010). Oh wait! Front and center is A. ocahui (and peaking out from around that opuntia in the upper left is the 'JC Raulston' from the above photo.
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The last A. parryi 'JC Raulston' (in the front garden at least)...
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A sad A. ovatifolia duo...
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Another pair of A. bracteosa, one planted out this spring and one in the ground since 2011.
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Agave americana var. protoamericana, planted in 2013.
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NOID agave on the left (planted in spring of 2013) and a small A. parryi pup planted this spring.
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A collection of pups whose names I've lost track of.
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Now we're in the driveway where the veggie tanks have been taken over by other plants for the winter, this is the pair of agaves which usually live just off the path to the patio. They get moved here every year because the soil is much better drained and I can easily pull them to come inside if the weather forecast looks dire. I was surprised to see how much they'd grown this year!
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This bad boy is an Agave weberi.
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He's spent a couple of years in this container parked right in this spot, I love how he's starting to get those mature agave twists to his arms (and in the interest of full disclosure my kind husband wrestled this container into the unheated, detached, garage last winter during our coldest temps (12F).
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In the back garden...some of these have been in the ground since spring of 2013 and a few were new last spring.
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I believe the large agave in the center-ish is an Agave neomexicana (2013) and the green one on the far right is Agave montana 'Baccarat' (2013), the smaller pups were mostly planted this spring.
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Starting on the far left Agave neomexicana, then Agave americana “something” (broken tag) which was severely knocked back last winter, and the spiky Agave striata var. striata on the right, looking more yucca-like (all planted in spring of 2013).
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To be honest I've lost track of what the tiny pups in this photo are! Dead center is a Dyckia 'Burgundy Ice' and on the far right, going out of frame, is a Mammillaria plumosa which I was sure to lift before the temperatures went south.
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The Agave parryi in my raised dish planters look great. I really do need to give them a root pruning and fresh soil next spring.
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The agave planting area next to the stairs down to the patio...
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Starting at the top, below the dasylirion that's an Agave havardiana, followed by a couple of small A. 'Mateo' pups, a large A. bracteosa, a smashed together couple of Agave neomexicana, the small pup on the left I can't remember and on the right is an Agave americana. In the very corner is...
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Agave 'Royal Spine', and it's obviously not happy (rot on the lower leaves)...
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No time like the present to get it out of the soil.
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Moving on to the last section with agaves...I lost an Agave gentryi 'Jaws' over last winter so planted a new one this spring (far left).
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Another A. neomexicana (2012) on the right, an NOID pup on the left...
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Agave gracilipes (2014) and a pair of A. parryi 'JC Raulston' pups (2012, slow growing!)
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I often forget about this Agave bracteosa, as it's on the other side of the upper garden. I think it's looking especially squid-like the way it's sprawling across the ground (2012).
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And the container agaves making a go of it "in-place" this winter: Agave ovatifolia and multiple A.lophantha 'Splendida' both planted last spring. I will be pulling the lophantha's out this spring and giving the entire container to the ovatifolia (should have done that late this summer)...
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Finally I'll close this agave report with a shot of the Agave weberi, taken Friday morning as the freezing rain that coated the garden the night before started to melt...
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All material © 2009-2014 by Loree Bohl for danger garden. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited and just plain rude.
We start just outside the front door with a pair of Agave ovatifolia, both 'Frosty Blue' if I remember right...
Both planted the summer of 2013. And you'l notice I didn't take the time to remove the fallen autumn leaves and other debris before photographing...
Now I've walked around to the driveway, the southeast corner of the front garden. A pair of Agave americana, both in the ground since 2011. I thought they were gonners after last winter but thankfully not. This is where those of you from the Southwest are shaking your head, those are A. americana? Yes, yes they are.
A pair of A. bracteosa, these poor plants are too shaded by the styrax in the hellstrip as well as the yucca to their left. Still they soldier on (planted in 2011).
A. parryi 'JC Raulston' (2011)...
With a couple of pups.
I really should have removed these before winter set in.
Oh look, another A. parryi 'JC Raulston'...
And another pup.
Yes another 'JC Raulston', or actually two. These went in last spring, I thought I'd be suffering much worse agave losses from last winter and bought replacement plants. Then whadda ya know, most of the others pulled through and I had to find a place for this double...
I doubt I need to tell you what this is? These are very reliable agaves in my garden, thus I've bought a few.
And now for something different. Diagonally starting in the lower left corner we have an agave of unknown ID (a pup from one of the monsters in this garden) planted out last spring, an Agave ovatifolia (went in as a tiny pup in 2011) and another A. americana (this one's been in the ground since 2010). Oh wait! Front and center is A. ocahui (and peaking out from around that opuntia in the upper left is the 'JC Raulston' from the above photo.
The last A. parryi 'JC Raulston' (in the front garden at least)...
A sad A. ovatifolia duo...
Another pair of A. bracteosa, one planted out this spring and one in the ground since 2011.
Agave americana var. protoamericana, planted in 2013.
NOID agave on the left (planted in spring of 2013) and a small A. parryi pup planted this spring.
A collection of pups whose names I've lost track of.
Now we're in the driveway where the veggie tanks have been taken over by other plants for the winter, this is the pair of agaves which usually live just off the path to the patio. They get moved here every year because the soil is much better drained and I can easily pull them to come inside if the weather forecast looks dire. I was surprised to see how much they'd grown this year!
This bad boy is an Agave weberi.
He's spent a couple of years in this container parked right in this spot, I love how he's starting to get those mature agave twists to his arms (and in the interest of full disclosure my kind husband wrestled this container into the unheated, detached, garage last winter during our coldest temps (12F).
In the back garden...some of these have been in the ground since spring of 2013 and a few were new last spring.
I believe the large agave in the center-ish is an Agave neomexicana (2013) and the green one on the far right is Agave montana 'Baccarat' (2013), the smaller pups were mostly planted this spring.
Starting on the far left Agave neomexicana, then Agave americana “something” (broken tag) which was severely knocked back last winter, and the spiky Agave striata var. striata on the right, looking more yucca-like (all planted in spring of 2013).
To be honest I've lost track of what the tiny pups in this photo are! Dead center is a Dyckia 'Burgundy Ice' and on the far right, going out of frame, is a Mammillaria plumosa which I was sure to lift before the temperatures went south.
The Agave parryi in my raised dish planters look great. I really do need to give them a root pruning and fresh soil next spring.
The agave planting area next to the stairs down to the patio...
Starting at the top, below the dasylirion that's an Agave havardiana, followed by a couple of small A. 'Mateo' pups, a large A. bracteosa, a smashed together couple of Agave neomexicana, the small pup on the left I can't remember and on the right is an Agave americana. In the very corner is...
Agave 'Royal Spine', and it's obviously not happy (rot on the lower leaves)...
No time like the present to get it out of the soil.
Moving on to the last section with agaves...I lost an Agave gentryi 'Jaws' over last winter so planted a new one this spring (far left).
Another A. neomexicana (2012) on the right, an NOID pup on the left...
Agave gracilipes (2014) and a pair of A. parryi 'JC Raulston' pups (2012, slow growing!)
I often forget about this Agave bracteosa, as it's on the other side of the upper garden. I think it's looking especially squid-like the way it's sprawling across the ground (2012).
And the container agaves making a go of it "in-place" this winter: Agave ovatifolia and multiple A.lophantha 'Splendida' both planted last spring. I will be pulling the lophantha's out this spring and giving the entire container to the ovatifolia (should have done that late this summer)...
Finally I'll close this agave report with a shot of the Agave weberi, taken Friday morning as the freezing rain that coated the garden the night before started to melt...
All material © 2009-2014 by Loree Bohl for danger garden. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited and just plain rude.